Timothy Snyder, a renowned historian and Yale professor, explores the complexities of freedom. He distinguishes between 'freedom from' and 'freedom to,' critiquing figures like Elon Musk and Donald Trump as 'heroes of negative freedom.' Snyder warns against this binary thinking, suggesting that true freedom involves collective well-being. The conversation also touches on the evolving views of Russia in U.S. politics, the paradox of technology as entrapment, and emphasizes empathy as a foundational aspect of personal and societal freedom.
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insights INSIGHT
Snyder's Definition of Freedom
Timothy Snyder defines freedom as flourishing and realizing values.
He contrasts this with the American focus on negative freedom, or freedom from.
insights INSIGHT
Negative Freedom as a Trap
Figures like Elon Musk and Donald Trump are seen as heroes of negative freedom.
Snyder argues that focusing solely on being against things is a trap, hindering true freedom.
insights INSIGHT
The Problem with Negative Freedom
Negative freedom, while seemingly positive, focuses on barriers, not the individual.
This can lead to a moral trap where the focus is on being against things, not for them.
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In 'On Freedom', Timothy Snyder argues that the concept of freedom has been misunderstood in modern America. He distinguishes between negative freedom (freedom from state power) and positive freedom (the freedom to thrive and take risks for chosen futures through collective effort). Snyder draws on the work of philosophers, political dissidents, and his own experiences to identify the habits of mind and practices necessary for designing a government that allows future generations to flourish. He emphasizes the importance of traditions, institutions, and a politics of abundance, generosity, and grace. The book also critiques libertarianism, exposes injustices in the penal system, and advocates for a culture of solidarity and strong government focused on human flourishing[2][3][5].
On Tyranny
Victor Gourevitch
Leo Strauss
Michael S. Roth
This book is a comprehensive analysis of Xenophon's dialogue Hiero, in which the tyrant Hiero and the poet Simonides discuss the advantages and disadvantages of exercising tyranny. The work includes a translation of the dialogue from its original Greek, Strauss's commentary on it, a critique of Strauss's commentary by Alexandre Kojève, and the complete correspondence between Strauss and Kojève. The discussion delves into the nature of tyranny, the distinction between tyrants and kings, and the philosophical implications of these concepts. The book also explores the debate between Strauss and Kojève on the role of philosophy in ruling the world and the concept of the Universal Homogenous State[1][3][5].
<p>There's no universal definition for the word freedom, according to American historian Timothy Snyder. He divides the word into two categories for people — the freedom "from" and the freedom "to" various things. In the U.S., Snyder calls oligarchs like Elon Musk and President Donald Trump "heroes of negative freedom,” focused on being against things. But the author of <em>On Freedom</em> says it's a trap, because once you’re against one thing, it builds into an endless loop of the next thing. True freedom, he says, is to thrive for the sake of our common future.</p>
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